


There For Him

by losthpfanficwriter (erbkaiser)



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-29
Updated: 2014-07-29
Packaged: 2019-11-26 09:52:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18179084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/erbkaiser/pseuds/losthpfanficwriter
Summary: Harry suffers from PTSD after the War. Can Hermione help him?





	There For Him

"Hermione! Stop snogging that brother of mine and answer the floo!" Ginny's shrill voice sounded through the Burrow. Annoyed that her probable future sister-in-law had inherited Molly's admirable set of lungs, Hermione put down her book and stomped over to the fireplace.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, for your information, I was reading a book! Ron is at the Ministry for Auror training, as you should well now," she chided the red-head once she came into view. "Now, what are you hollering for?" Hermione glared at her.

"I don't care if you were snogging Ron or a book, just step through will you? I am sick and tired of this bullcrap!" Ginny shouted once more, and her head disappeared. Hermione rolled her eyes, then stepped into the fireplace, threw down some floo powder, and clearly said, "Headquarters".

They had never gotten around to renaming the floo access for Number Twelve Grimmauld Place, which Harry had made his home almost immediately after the Battle.

Hermione stepped out into the Black house's kitchen, and saw Ginny drinking straight from a firewhiskey bottle. The red-head put the bottle down and focused on the new arrival.

"I am going to the Harpies' stadium for some extra practice. _He_ is upstairs, in Sirius' room," she said, and tried to get past Hermione.

Hermione took Ginny by the arm to stop her. "Wait a minute, what do you mean, _he_ is upstairs? Is something wrong with Harry?" she asked, concern getting in her voice.

Ginny scoffed. "When is something _not_ wrong with Harry these days?" She pulled out a chair, and sat down. Hermione did the same, and looked at the younger woman expectantly.  
"Did Ron tell you Harry dropped out of Auror training?" Ginny asked.

Hermione frowned a moment. "Ron said Harry quit, not that he dropped out. I was meaning to ask what his reasons were," she said.

Ginny let out a bitter laugh, "Typical Ron, can't speak bad of his 'best friend'! No, Harry _dear_ ," the last word was spat out as if it was distasteful for her, "the so-called Man-Who-Won dropped out of training. He came home last month as white as a sheet, and said he didn't want to go any more. You know Kingsley is fond of Harry, but when Harry didn't go back even once we got an owl this week, that Harry was no longer in the programme. I tried talking with him about it, but he is being unreasonable. I can't deal with this, if I wanted to date a loser, I'd go back to Dean. At least he knows how to treat me right!"

Hermione sat there with open mouth from shock. "Harry's not been to the Ministry in weeks? Why is this the first I hear of it?" she demanded.

"It's not my responsibility to keep you informed, Herms," Ginny said. She stood up, and looked at the still seated brunette. "I am going to the Harpies camp. You can tell Harry that if he gets his arse moving and begs Kingsley for his spot back, I _might_ come back." Ginny walked to the floo, and was gone before Hermione had mentally processed everything.

"Harry, what's wrong?" she softly said, then got up as well, and went for the stairwell. She made it all the way up to the third floor of the empty house before she saw someone, Kreacher. He was standing in front of the stairwell with his arms spread, blocking her way. "Master wishes to be alone," he told her.

"Please Kreacher, I need to speak with him. Has he eaten at all?" Hermione asked.

"Kreacher has made dinner for the blood traitor and Master Potter-Black every night, but Master has only eaten some bread when Kreacher brought it up late at night," Kreacher said sadly. "Kreacher does not know what is wrong with Master."

"Kreacher, if you'll let me pass, I can help him," Hermione promised.

The old House Elf looked at her critically, then nodded. "Kreacher will let the Master's friend pass. The Master needs help, and the blood traitor only made things worse by yelling at him."

"Thank you, Kreacher," Hermione said. An even more worried expression on her face, she went further upstairs. The door to Sirius' room was closed, but there was light behind it. Softly, she knocked on the door.

There was no reply, so she knocked again. "Harry? It's me, Hermione. Can I come in?" she asked. She heard a sharp intake of breath from inside but got no further reply, so she opened the door.

Harry sat on Sirius' bed, his arms wrapped around his legs, and his head resting on his knees. Hermione slowly walked to him. "Oh Harry. What's wrong?" she asked, gently.

"I don't know," Harry said, sounding a little distant.

"How can I help?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know," Harry said again.

Her heart was breaking from seeing him that way, but she knew she wouldn't get a better answer just yet, so she left his room and closed the door behind her. Kreacher was standing outside.

"Kreacher, is the third floor bedroom clean?" she asked the servant. Kreacher nodded. "Good. Please, get as many pillows as you can for me, and put them on the bed, okay?" Hermione asked. Kreacher nodded again, and popped out.

Hermione went down one floor, and into the bedroom the Weasley parents had shared while they had lived in Sirius' house. Kreacher had already done as asked, and there was a variety of pillows waiting for her.

Hermione took them and made a kind of hut out of them on top of the bed. She stepped back, appreciating how they now looked, and went back upstairs and into Sirius' room.

"Harry? I've made a hiding spot. Do you want to come with me?" she asked him gently.

Harry's breath hitched a moment, then he looked up at her. "Ok," he said. Hermione wanted to put an arm around him but feared he would react wrong now, so she just went ahead of him back to the third floor bedroom, Harry following close behind her.

Harry needed no instruction: as soon as he saw the pillow pile, he crawled in, so only a part of his face was still visible. His expression softened a bit.

"Does that help?" Hermione asked him, a slight smile on her face.

"A little," Harry said.

"Do you need anything else?" she asked.

Harry visibly hesitated, then, in a small voice, said "No."

Hermione smiled at him. "Are you hungry?"

"A little."

"I'll be right back. You can stay there," she told him, and left the room.

Kreacher stood outside again, waiting. "Will Master be all right?" he asked her.

"He will be, but it will take a little time. Can you prepare some sandwiches for him and take them to me? Harry just needs a little space now," Hermione told him.

Kreacher popped out again, and returned a minute later with a plate with a variety of bread on it.

Hermione went back inside with the food, and put it in front of the opening to Harry's 'cave'. "Here you are," she said. "Is that good?"

"... yes," Harry said. Carefully he reached out and took one sandwich, then ducked back under cover. She just watched as he ate them all, then put the plate on the floor and out of sight.

"Are you ever coming out?" she asked him, as neutrally as possible.

"...no," Harry said.

"Okay. Then I'll join you," she said. She lifted up one side of the pillow fort, and lied down next to Harry. He stiffened for a second, but then she wrapped her arms around him and just hugged him.

After a while Harry began to softly sob, and she didn't say a word but just kept holding him until he finally fell asleep.

**Author's Note:**

> I have suffered from PTSD myself.
> 
> http://www.robot-hugs.com/nest/


End file.
